Iran nuclear: Curbs on uranium enrichment begin
The heavy water plant at Arak is one of several Iranian facilities under the international spotlight Iran has begun curbing uranium enrichment under a deal which will also see international sanctions eased, the UN nuclear watchdog (IAEA) says.
Earlier, centrifuges used for enrichment were disconnected at the Nantaz plant, Iranian TV reported.
The move is part of a nuclear deal reached with the US, Russia, China and European powers last November.
By the end of the day, Iran should be able to resume petrochemical and other exports, worth billions to its economy.
'Melting'"The IAEA inspectors in the Natanz plant are disconnecting cascades," the head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organisation, Ali Akbar Salehi, said. "The sanctions iceberg against Iran is melting."
The IAEA confirmed that as of 20 January 2014, Iran had ceased enriching uranium above 5% purity, diplomatic sources in Vienna told the BBC.
"It's all fine, all their requirements have been fulfilled," an envoy to the UN agency told AFP.
A leaked copy of the inspectors' report suggested that enrichment above 5% purity had stopped at the Nantaz and Fordow facilities, Reuters news agecncy reported.
The nuclear deal is designed to prevent Teheran developing atomic weapons, though it denies trying to do so, saying its nuclear programme is solely for peaceful purposes.
Curbs on enrichment should pave the way for partial suspension of EU and US sanctions, allowing Iran to restart petrochemical exports and trade in gold, worth billions of dollars.
Once happy that Iran is halting uranium enrichment, European Union foreign ministers in Brussels are likely to vote in favour of the partial lifting of the sanctions by the end of Monday. The sanctions have been in place against Iran since 2006.
"This is an important day in our pursuit of ensuring that Iran has an exclusively peaceful nuclear programme", EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton told reporters outside the meeting venue.
Under the terms of the November agreement, reached with the five permanent members of the UN Security Council - the US, Russia, China, Britain and France - plus Germany, Iran will, according to US officials:
- Halt enrichment of uranium above 5% purity.
- Dilute its stockpile of 20%-enriched uranium, such that all will be gone within six months
- Allow daily access to the Fordo uranium enrichment site near the holy city of Qom
- Permit monthly inspections at the Arak heavy water reactor
In return, US President Barack Obama has said the US and the other five powers over the next six months will begin to implement "modest relief" so long as Iran fulfils its obligations.
"Meanwhile, we will continue to vigorously enforce the broader sanctions regime, and if Iran fails to meet its commitments we will move to increase our sanctions," he said.
The current six-month agreement is designed to provide breathing space while a more permanent deal can be reached.
Sounding a note of caution, former IAEA deputy director Olli Heinonen said that if Iran decided to renege on the deal, it would only need two to three weeks to produce enough highly enriched uranium for a nuclear weapon.
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